Circus Freak
by The Fandom Equestrian
Summary: Olive has been protected from her past for a long time, but when the time comes where she must face her past trauma, how will she cope? Movie verse, Enolive.
1. Prologue

**Trust me, I know I have a horrible track record of sticking with my stories. But I've promised myself that this one WILL be completed! My writing skills are mediocre at best, so I apologize! I'll do my very best. However, one thing that really spurs me on is reviews! I get discouraged when nobody reviews my stories, because what's the point if nobody cares? Anyways, hope you enjoy!**

 **Pre-Jake and MovieVerse (Enolive!)**

 **Warning: may not be completely cannon with backstories**

* * *

"Children, not so fast." Miss Peregrine said to the kids all running in separate directions after lunch. "I've been meaning to tell you something for a while, but I couldn't find the right time. Now, I'm afraid that I have to. This will effect all of us, but mostly... Olive."

Everyone was sitting again, and I furrowed my brow. "What is it?"

Miss Peregrine took a deep breath before beginning. "Olive, the trauma you've experienced your whole life before coming here was too great. It would've been nearly impossible for you to adjust as quickly as you did, and I feared that you would always be different. However, there was... another option. As an ymbryn, I had the power to rid you of the painful memories of your past and all of your current injuries. So I did. But... That only lasts for a certain amount of time. And the time is up tonight. Olive, when you wake up tomorrow morning, you will remember everything you forgot, and... have the same injuries as when I met you."

My mouth was agape, much like everyone else's. "I... I have things I don't remember?"

"You're memories were altered, Olive. You believe you grew up with your parents in a loving home, right?"

I nodded. Of course I grew up with my parents. After discovering my peculiarity when I burned down a bush, my parents took me out of school. I was home schooled by Mom and Dad would always take me for walks, letting me enjoy the scenery around our little house. When I was 16, Miss Peregrine brought me to the children's home, where I could live without worry of someone discovering my unique quality.

"Well, so you won't be so surprised tomorrow, I guess I'll tell you the basics." Miss Peregrine looked somber, which I decided did not look good on her. It made the young ymbryn look much older. "Are you alright with the others being here?"

I looked around the table at my family, making eye contact with each of them. I've trusted them all for a long time, and it would feel wrong to exclude them from something this important. I nodded mutely once again, still trying to absorb whatever was going on.

She took another breath, long and slow, before starting to tell the basics of my apparently traumatizing life. "You did live a good life, up until you turned 7. You, accidentally, started a small house fire. You're parents believed you to be... a freak. So they locked you in your room, unable to touch anything. Then, after a few years, they gave you away to a travelling circus. You were a performer." she seemed unable to go on, instead smoothing down her coat. "Well, that's all I'll tell you. Everyone is dismissed."

The mood had changed drastically, and I numbly followed Enoch to his room like I had began to do before the announcement. Once he shut the door, we were both silent. He made no move to go sit at his desk, and I didn't make any to stand in my usual spot.

"Olive," he ran a hand through his hair, switching between examining the floor boards and looking at me intently. "I want you to know, I'm not very good at this stuff, but," he paused. "You're always welcome to talk to me if you need to. Or just if you want to."

"Really?" I asked in a whisper.

"We are friends, aren't we?" he asked, before adding in, "Day or night. Whenever you need me."

I smiled warmly. "Thank you." He wasn't expecting it, but I launched myself forward to hug him. I could feel him stiffen up before relaxing, return the embrace.


	2. Chapter 1

**Memories chapter...**

* * *

 _Age: 7_

 _I woke up smiling, as this was my seventh birthday. My parents always made me chocolate chip pancakes, and then we would go to the park with my friend Alison. I skipped down the stairs, and sure enough, both my parents were sitting down with excited expressions etched onto their faces._

 _"Happy Birthday, Olive!" They both shouted, before jumping up to hug me and sitting me down next to a heaping stack of chocolate chip pancakes. I couldn't help the grin on my face as I dug in. My parents ate their smaller stacks, smiling almost as brightly as I was._

 _Occasionally Mom would gush over how "My little girl is growing up" in between bites, and Dad would roll his eyes playfully before winking at me._

 _Then it happened. I reached for my napkin, when suddenly it caught fire. I gasped and jumped up, knocking over my chair. My parents looked up, too, and my mom screamed. My dad ran for the fire extinguisher he kept in the cabinet, while my mom tried to pat it out with a towel._

 _'Oh no,' I thought to myself. I reached for the overturned chair, but then it burst into flames, too._

 _Mom saw the new source of the fire and screamed, "David! We have to get out of the house and call the fire department!" She grabbed my hand, and yelped as she was burned. Tears started to roll down my cheeks. What was happening to me? Everything I touched caught on fire! As we were rushing outside, I tripped, and put my hands out to stop me. I cried out, seeing new flames jump across the floor where I had touched them. Jumping to my feet, I rushed out the door._

 _Dad was on the phone, most likely with the fire department. Mom rushed over to me. "Olive! My baby! What happened?! Did you knock over a candle? I didn't think I lit any!"_

 _"No, mommy!" I was still crying, in shock from the ordeal. "I touched it and it caught on fire!"_

 _"No, no! It's not your fault!" she assured me, wiping away some of my tears._

 _"It is!" I yelled at her. "I-I'll show you!" I spotted a branch on the ground not too far away, and picked it up. The branch instantly caught flame, and Mom jumped back in shock. I dropped the branch._

 _"David!" she tried to get Dad's attention, but there was no need to. He had seen it._

 _He looked angry. "What is wrong with you, Olive?! You're a-a-a freak! You're a freak!" He repeated as the sirens came whirring closer, stopping in front of us and unwinding the big hose as several firemen decked in fireproof suits and oxygen masks jumped out._

* * *

 _Age: 10_

 _I sat in my small room, staring out the only window with a clear view of the overgrown backyard. Birds sometimes sat in the bare tree, but that was my only company. I wasn't allowed outside. I wasn't allowed into the outside world. I might hurt somebody. After the incident of the fire a few years ago, three to be exact, my dad made me a fireproof room._

 _It was concrete walls, floors, and had a bed made of the same stupid grey stuff. I was really tired of seeing concrete. Maybe they'd let me paint it? That was highly unlikely, though. However, I still envisioned exactly what I would paint if I could... The bed had an old pillow and a sheet, but no mattress. I was to do as little damage as possible. The last precaution my parents took seemed to make the others unnecessary - my arms were bound in metal. I could only wiggle my fingers a little in the confinement. It made eating hard, and especially bathing or changing. But I'd learned to cope. And I always would._

 _Sometimes if Daddy was in a good mood, then he'd let me take them off under supervision for a few minutes. That was if he was in a good mood, though. Today would not be one of those days, and it never was. Today was the three year anniversary of me setting fire to the house. My birthday._

 _"Olive!" I heard him yell. He stormed into my room and slammed the door behind him. It's always funny how he did that, in a twisted way. Who did he think would see? Mom? It doesn't matter if she does - she never comes to see me anymore, anyways. She just doesn't care anymore._

 _He stomped over to me, his fists clenched. I awoke from my stupor and cowered down. "Yes?"_

 _"Don't speak to me in that tone." He punched me a few times, being sure to spread the inevitable bruises around. I wasn't aware of what tone I had used, but I assumed it was one of fear. Didn't he like it when I was afraid of him? Didn't he always demand me to respect him._

 _"Apologize, you worthless brat!" he bellowed, kicking me when I was down._

 _"I'm sorry!" I cried. "I'm sorry!"_

 _"No, you're not!" He growled, kicking me once again. "Freak!" He spat._

* * *

 _Age: 13_

 _"Hey, freak!" He called as he barged into my jail cell of a room._

 _"Yes..?" I asked timidly. He seemed unusually giddy about something, and that wasn't good._

 _"I've found a way to be rid of you once and for all." This wasn't good. "I was talking to my new friend in a pub. I may have had a few to drink, so I accidentally let slip about you. It turns out he runs a travelling circus, and we both agreed that you would fit right in with the freak show."  
_

 _"W-what?" I asked, horrified. I hated, no despised, my current life. But how could I use the powers I feared using so much to entertain a crowd? I couldn't... I wouldn't... But I would have to. What choice did I have? If it's anyone Dad gets along with, then they must be a terrible person._

 _"You leave tomorrow." He spoke, oblivious to my discomfort - or rather, didn't care._

* * *

 _Age: 15_

 _The blinding lights shining in my face were too normal now, as I stood up on the podium like some animal about to perform a trick. In a way, I guess, I was._

 _The announcer spoke the familiar words to the 'ooh's and 'aah's of the gullible audience. "Now, we see the girl with hands that can set anything on fire! Watch as she merely touches this block of wood, and it bursts into flame! She may even be the daughter of the devil himself!"_

 _A block of wood was placed in front of me, and I reached out tenderly to touch it. The applause rang out as the wood indeed caught fire. I stepped off the podium so an elephant could take my place with yet another meaningless trick._

 _A guard led me back to my room, which was unsurprisingly much like the one I had before, except the windows were barred off._

 _"No, no, no! You must put on more of a show! You can not simply touch the wood!" The circus manager told me, exasperated. He waited for me after every show in my trailer, both to put my hands in chains and punish me._

 _"What would you rather I do?" Cooperation was always key. He liked to be right._

 _"Add some flair! Make it believable!" He yelled as he secured the chains. "For that performance, no food for three days. Maybe you'll do better next time._

 _I nodded, collapsing on my concrete bed. He left, but the stagehands would be back later. They liked to torment me mercilessly. They would use the animal whips on me, all while insulting me._

 _I sat in my trailer, and sure enough the three stagehands came._

 _"Look at the freak. She's worthless. A waste of space. We need to teach her that, don't we?" The first one cooed._

 _I stayed quiet. This was their thing. It was the same every night. The next one answered him, "How true. Shall we use the elephant whip tonight? It suits her, considering her name is Olive Elephanta." They all chuckled, but I stared at my feet. They made the same joke. Every. Night._

 _They started their torture, whipping and laughing, making cruel jokes at my expense, and when they were bored, left._

* * *

 _Age: 16_

 _This person was new. She was tall, and much prettier than any of the circus workers. She came into my trailer, letting herself in. I don't know why, but she undid my chains first thing._

 _I didn't trust her, so I stayed put. It was a trap. The stagehands would all be waiting outside to punish me for not staying in my trailer, I knew it. Still, something about her perplexed me. "Who are you?"_

 _She held out a hand for me to shake. "Miss Peregrine, so happy to finally meet you. I've been waiting a long time for permission to come get you. I promise, I'll get you out of here. You'll never hurt again, Olive."_

 _"How do you know my name?" I asked her, eyeing her hand warily. "And I can't shake your hand. I'll burn you."_

 _"Of course!" she shook her head, and handed me a pair of nice black gloves. "You won't set anything on fire if you wear these. And you, Olive, are something called peculiar-"_

 _"I'm just a freak." I told her, glaring. But I still put the gloves on._

 _"No, you're peculiar." she told me, a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "There are others like you. I'm like you. Where I'll take you - if you'll let me - there are other children with peculiarities as magnificent as yours."_

 _"There aren't others like me! I'm a freak!" I was quickly losing the walls I built up, and I couldn't understand why._

 _"You're not a freak. And one of my children is invisible. Twins that can turn people to stone. A boy your age can reanimate the dead. One girl can float!" she was smiling brilliantly. "And that's not even close to all!"_

 _I thought, before nodding mutely. "Take me away from here. Anywhere is better than here."_


End file.
